Marches planned this week for Occupy Minnesota group

Occupy Minnesota had a laid back feel about it on Monday morning at the Hennepin County Government Center plaza, renamed “People’s Plaza” by the protesters. About 75 people were on hand at about 10:30 a.m.

The plaza is taking on a more permanent occupation-look with tables along one side of the plaza, loaded with food, a make-shift free lending library, a children’s play area, a lost and found booth and a communications center. The protesters were lent some solar panels that they are using to generate electricity for laptops, a printer and cell phones after authorities shut off power to the plaza last week.

Organizers believe more people will be showing up for an “Indigenous People’s Rally” at 5:30 p.m. today and an 11 a.m. march on local banks on Tuesday.

More actions are publicized for later in the week including an antiwar gathering at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday to participate in a 1:30 p.m. march in Minneapolis to mark the 10th anniversary of the U.S. war in Afghanistan, sponsored by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and other groups.

Minneapolis police said they have linked two weekend shootings, which left residents frightened and sent some diving to the floor to avoid stray bullets, to an early-morning homicide last week that left a father of two dead on the city's North Side.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said his biggest regret as the county's top prosecutor was using grand juries to investigate the shootings of civilians by police, admitting that the process lacked transparency.

Meeting for the first time since the presidential election, the Minneapolis City Council on Friday affirmed their support for the city's minority groups and denounced policies they anticipate from President-elect Donald Trump's administration.